1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a handsfree call apparatus, acoustic reproducing apparatus with a handsfree call function, and handsfree call method, which enable a handsfree call.
2. Description of the Related Art
Handsfree call apparatuses have been proposed whereby a user can perform a call without holding a phone handset. Particularly, for the sake of driving safety, an in-vehicle handsfree apparatus has also been proposed whereby a driver can perform a handsfree call.
As for this in-vehicle handsfree apparatus, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, there has been proposed an in-vehicle handsfree apparatus wherein a microphone 102 for transmission of a calling party (driver in this case) 101 is attached to a sun visor 103 provided to the inner side of the front glass of a vehicle. In this case, in a case where an in-vehicle audio playing apparatus is mounted, speakers employed for acoustic reproduction of played audio of the in-vehicle audio playing apparatus thereof can be employed for acoustic reproduction of receiver audio.
Speakers 104 employed for acoustic reproduction of played sound of the in-vehicle audio playing apparatus are provided, as shown in FIG. 1, for example, by being embedded in the doors of a driving seat, passenger seat, and backseat of the vehicle and attached thereto, respectively. Accordingly, in the case of FIG. 1, for example, in a case where a driver performs a handsfree call, an arrangement is made wherein a microphone 102 of the sun visor 103, and the speaker 104 attached to the door on the left side of the driving seat are employed.
However, the case in FIG. 1 includes a problem of howling caused by the microphone 102 collecting the sound emitted from the speaker 104. Also, the case in FIG. 1 includes a problem wherein the disposed positions of the microphone 102 and speaker 104 are separated such as between the sun visor 103 and the door, and accordingly, there is difficulty in how to lay the wiring.
As for an in-vehicle handsfree call apparatus of which this point has been improved, an in-vehicle handsfree call apparatus such as shown in FIG. 2 has been proposed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-146136. With the in-vehicle handsfree call apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-146136, a speaker 112 for a receiver is provided to one of both shoulder portions sandwiching a headrest 114 above a backrest portion 111 of a seat of a vehicle, and a microphone 113 for a transmitter is provided to the other.
According to the configuration in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-146136, the headrest 114 and a user (driver) serve as noise insulation, and howling is reduced, and also wiring as to the speaker 112 and microphone 113 can be shared, for example, such as shown in a wiring portion 115 in FIG. 2.